Nancy Lieberman to Be Kings Assistant Coach: Latest Details, Reaction

The Sacramento Kings are planning to offer Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman an assistant coach position, which she will officially accept next week.

“Definitely I’m going to offer her a job,” Kings vice president Vlade Divac said Thursday, per Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee. “George (Karl) and I talked about bringing her back after she helped us at summer league (in Las Vegas). She was terrific. She brings a different dimension. I think is a nice opportunity for her.”     

The team confirmed the deal on Friday.

Lieberman, 57, will be the NBA's second female assistant coach, joining the San Antonio Spurs' Becky Hammon.

Nicknamed "Lady Magic," Lieberman had a storied international career during the 1970s and 1980s and is considered one of the best female basketball players in history. She earned an Olympic silver medal with the United States in 1976. In 1986, Lieberman was the first woman to play in a men's professional basketball league (USBL). 

Lieberman last played for the WNBA's Detroit Shock in 2008, becoming the league's oldest player at 50. She also spent time with the Shock as a general manager and head coach, going 46-48 in three seasons. 

Her NBA coaching career began with a stint as the head coach of the D-League's Texas Legends before eventually transitioning to the team's front office. More recently, Lieberman has been a television analyst for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

News of her hiring comes as part of a banner summer for women in men's professional sports. Hammon, who joined the Spurs staff last year, led their Las Vegas Summer League team to a championship earlier this month. The Iowa Energy of the D-League also named Nicki Gross as an assistant coach Thursday, the lone female assistant coach in the NBA's development system.

In the NFL, Jen Welter became the first female assistant in history when the Arizona Cardinals hired her as a coaching intern. It may have taken longer than it should have—much longer—but it appears women are finally making headway in the United States' four major professional sports.   

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.